These are the Twig and Tale Tie Back Boots pattern. I scoured the internet for any free similar pattern but in the end I caved and purchased this one, which was, I think, a good thing. This pattern was just as awesome as the other ones that I have tried and I love supporting a business that promotes upcycling textiles, cutting back on the consumption of paper and ink and creates a sturdy, professional looking garment from the get go.
Rosie's green slippers were a practice pair so I didn't put a ton of effort into making them special, but I couldn't resist adding a few tiny appliques when she chose an upholstery weight green velveteen for the main fabric. A few scraps from the scrap drawer and some fusible interfacing later, we had toadstools!
The first version of these were lined in the polka-dot knit left over from her leggings and tunic I made a month or two ago. They also had soles made of leather on the outside and fusible foam and minky on the inside. Soft, comfy but. . .too thick. It made the shoe very small inside and Rosie said her toes felt "stuffy". The pattern instructions, sewing the lining and outer shoe together around the top edge, keeps the lining "floating free" inside the shoe, so that when Rose removed her foot, the lining came out with it. This could have been remedied by a few subtle, firm stitches to attach the lining to the outer, but I decided to try something else.
I love hearing her tell me allllll the colors she sees in a leaf this time of year! This one had: red, orange, yellow, green, purple and blue in it. |
I deconstructed the first version the next day and made a new lining of plain woven cotton. For the sole I used a single thick piece of wool broadcloth with the leather sole on the outside. After constructing the new lining, I sewed the lining to the outer shoe around the sole, right sides together. When the outer shoe was pulled up around the lining, the soles stayed together. No more lining coming out when Rose took her shoes off! To finish the top edge, I turned down a narrow cuff and topstitched it into place.
Dirty fingernails after spending an afternoon in the leaves! 😂 |
The tie back boots are awesome since they are so adjustable and there are no ties to worry about untying and retying every time they are put on or taken off. The fit comes from the semi-permanent tie that goes around the ankle and the fact that the tie is made of stretchy material or elastic - in this case, a bit of polka dot knit scrap cut into a strip.
While these are more of an around-the-house slipper, the leather soles make them work for outdoor use if the weather is dry. I've seen other versions of these shoes made with material that is meant to be waterproof and can be used for more heavy use outdoors. Maybe someday I will try that!
I hope you all are having a blessed November. Soon it will be Thanksgiving! I am so enjoying this time of year!
Much love,
Sarah
These are next on my list! I was blown away by the Pathfinder Animal vests I made my kids. I'm planning to make matching boots now because I have TONS of (upcycled) fabric left.
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